Question

State any two uses of photovoltaic cells.

Answer 1

Hint: In the photovoltaic cell, there is a conversion of energy from one form to another, the process of the energy conversion is photovoltaic effect. The energy conversion is that the light energy is converted to the electrical energy.

Complete step by step answer:
Photovoltaic cell consists of the two or more layers of the semiconductor, in that the layer of semiconductors which contains both positive charged and negative charged semiconductors are arranged. When the photovoltaic cell is placed in the sunlight, the sunlight has small packs of the energy called as photons. These photons hit the photovoltaic cell, then it is reflected, transmitted or absorbed by the photovoltaic cell.

When the photovoltaic cell absorbs the photons by the negative layer, the energy of the photon is transferred to the electron in the atom of the cell. When the energy of the atom in the negative plate increases, the electron starts moving and escapes to the outer shell of the atom. Then the electron is migrating to the positive layer and creates the potential difference between the positive and negative plates. Then the positive and negative plates are connected to the external circuit, the electron flows through the circuit creating the current flow.

Uses of the photovoltaic cell:
1. The US government requires renewable energy sources, so they created the standards that the electric utilities produce a significant fraction of their power through the renewable resources.
2. Communication satellites require an electric power source but the source is lightweight, has greater lifetime and works in the vacuum of space. The solar energy is more in the atmosphere of the satellite, so the photovoltaic cell is used in satellites.

Note: Solar energy is the renewable form of energy, so the photovoltaic cell uses the solar energy as the source. And it saves the money by less electricity bill. Maintaining the photovoltaic cell is simple and affordable so the maintenance cost is very low. It is one of the best alternatives for non-renewable energy.